‘Larfage workers continue suffering’

kindly help us use your platform to send information to relevant authorities of this unlistening GOVNMENT of today. we thank you in advance

below is the letter we are asking your favor for publication:

WITH K290 BILLION PROFIT, LAFARGE WORKERS CONDITIONS REMAINS POOR

Our company Lafarge Cement has upto now still not shown any signs of improving our conditions of service, despite our pleading for intervention of the Ministry of Labor.

Management says the company has no money to pay us well even after makin over 290 Billion kwacha profit through our had work and suffering. This company has a very small number of employees, less than 900 for both lusaka and ndola plant.They say the company has no money to pay us well but how do they manage to pay such huge amounts of money in rentals for some foreign managers?

THIS IS TO MENTION BUT A FEW, See the money we are paying in rentals for just 5 foreigners besides their huge salaries and allowances? Why is it like this? How do you pay 1.5billion kwacha rent per year for one person? isnt this madness. these people have money to pay us well. ZAMBEZI PORTLAND IS EVEN PAYING FAR MUCH BETTER THAN LAFARGE CEMENT AT THE MOMENT.

Last year they paid us K200,000 to K370,000 as salary increaments, and this year they paid us non unionised employees upto K410,000 as salary increament after making over K290 Billion profit and they are offering unionised employees a 5% increament (about 130 – 150KR) though they are still fighting for a better amount but the company insists they have no money. If they have no money, why waste such huge sums of money on rentals as indicated above, even still paying for a directors mansion who was deported months ago and no one is staying in the same mansion(isnt it same as getting this money and throwing it in the river or burning it?). Why waste money in that manner? Are we there slaves? Why should cost saving only be exercised on us? Production bonusess are also poorly calculated, always benefiting those with bigger salaries.

We appeal to our Govnment to investigate why mangement has continued paying huge rentals for the Deported MDs mansion, what activities are they using that house for, TERRORISM? Perhaps a scan of devices that are in that house can be a good idea. Why do these current crop of foreigners refuse to occupy beautiful company houses?

The Govnment must also intervene in the matter where management has blocked us from joining the union saying the company policy does not allow…..is the LABOR MINISTRY SLEEPING? Doesnt the zambian Labor law state that employees are fre to join any union?